The news follows a ‘constructive' meeting yesterday (5 August) between both parties.

BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Ross Nieuwoudt and Dr Melissa Ryan, said: ‘We met yesterday with Mr Streeting to once again reiterate what is needed to bring this dispute to an end. We were very clear about the determination of resident doctors to return to a fair level of pay. 

‘Our conversation was informative and we feel that we have achieved a greater mutual understanding than in previous talks.'

They added: ‘We want to work with the Department for Health and Social Care to deliver on non-pay items it previously agreed to, and to forge mutual respect following years when the previous incumbents seemingly cared little for doctors' pay or wellbeing. We are clear, though, that going forward there has to be movement on pay.

‘We also reminded Mr Streeting of the urgent need to provide enough jobs for doctors and bring an end to the current situation where thousands of resident doctors apply for far too few roles, leaving many unable to progress their careers and go on to be our future consultants, GPs and other specialist doctors.

‘We are working to ensure strike action does not need to be repeated and will give time to explore solutions. However, doctors and patients both deserve a resolution sooner rather than later.'

A DHSC spokesperson confirmed an agreement to continue engagement through the summer.

They added: ‘We have been clear that, following a 28.9% pay rise for resident doctors, we cannot go further on pay this year, but there is shared ambition to explore and address some of the unique additional costs that resident doctors incur through their training and work.'

Meanwhile, Unison is calling on the Government to hold urgent talks to address problems with the 'outdated' NHS salary structure and combine these with negotiations on next year's wage rise. The union has revealed that 70% of its members who responded to its consultation on the 2025/26 NHS pay award said they would back walkouts if the union were to ballot for strike action.